Selectively buffered dual stage air bag assembly, and method of using same

Abstract

A selectively buffered dual stage air bag assembly, including an outer bag member, and an inner bag member disposed within the outer bag member. The inner bag member includes an outer wall with an outwardly facing surface for deployed placement facing toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle. The outer wall of the inner bag has a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, which define gas discharge ports for discharging gas from the inner bag member to the outer bag member. The inner bag member outwardly facing surface may be reinforced in the area of the apertures, and may have a porous material disposed across the apertures to affect the rate of gas flow therethrough. Preferably, the inner bag member is made from a non-woven, substantially inelastic material. The present invention further provides a method of using an air bag assembly of the type described.

I claim:  
     
       1. A selectively buffered dual stage air bag assembly, comprising: 
       an outer bag member;  
       an inner bag member disposed within the outer bag member, said inner bag member having a deployed configuration which includes an outer wall with an outwardly facing surface for deployed placement facing toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle, said outer wall of said inner bag having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough, which define gas discharge ports for discharging gas from the inner bag member to the outer bag member;  
       wherein said inner bag member is formed from a substantially inelastic material and  
       wherein said assembly comprises a reinforcing material attached to said outer wall of said inner bag member proximate each of said apertures said reinforcing material being selected from the group consisting of plastic, epoxy, and inserts; and  
       wherein each of said inserts, where used comprises a collar which passes through an aperture of said inner bag member and which defines a flow channel therethrough.  
     
     
       2. The air bag assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a porous material disposed across said apertures to affect the rate of gas flow therethrough. 
     
     
       3. The air bag assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing material comprises inserts which include a plurality of grommets attached to acid inner bag members. 
     
     
       4. The air bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of said grommets comprises a first disc member and a second disc member for attaching to the first disc member, each of said disc members having a wall contacting surface with a plurality of protrusions thereon for pinching said outer wall of said inner bag member therebetween. 
     
     
       5. The air bag assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said inner bag member is made from a flexible plastic material. 
     
     
       6. The air bag assembly of  claim 3 , wherein each of said grommets comprises a first disc member having a first collar attached thereto and a second disc member having a second collar attached thereto wherein the first collar fits slidingly and interferingly around the second collar to affix the first disc member to the second disc member. 
     
     
       7. The air bag assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said inner bag member is made from a non-woven material. 
     
     
       8. The air bag assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an electronic theft deterrent system, comprising: 
       a housing;  
       said air bag assembly being folded and stored within said housing; and  
       an electronic activator for triggering deployment of said air bag assembly, said electronic activator being in electronic communication with said air bag assembly; and  
       sensing means for sensing disconnection of said electronic communication between said air bag assembly and said electronic activator, said sensing means being in electronic communication with said electronic activator;  
       wherein said electronic activator is operable to initiate deployment of said air bag assembly when interruption of electronic communication between said air bag and said electronic activator is sensed by said sensing means.  
     
     
       9. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing material is plastic. 
     
     
       10. The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said reinforcing material is applied contacting both an inner surface and an outer surface of said inner bag member outer wall. 
     
     
       11. a method of using an air bag assembly, comprising the steps of: 
       inflating an inner bag member, said inner bag member being disposed within an outer bag member, said inner bag member having an outer wall with an inwardly facing surface for deployed placement facing toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle, said outer wall of said inner bag member having a plurality of apertures formed therethrough which define gas discharge ports wherein said assembly comprises a reinforcing material attached to said outer wall of said inner bag member proximate each of said apertures, said reinforcing material being selected from the group consisting of plastic, epoxy, and inserts; and  
       discharging gas from said inner bag member through said apertures in a direction toward a passenger compartment of a vehicle to inflate said outer bag member.  
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said gas is initially discharged in a direction which is substantially normal to said outer surface of said inner bag member. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said reinforcing material comprises inserts which include a plurality of reinforcing grommets attached to said outer wall of said inner bag member, and wherein said gas is discharged through flow channels formed through said grommets. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11 , wherein said inner bag member inflates to a fully inflated configuration thereof, and subsequently retains said fully inflated configuration, and does not further expand to become larger than said fully expanded configuration. 
     
     
       15. An electronic theft deterrent system for an air bag, comprising: 
       a housing;  
       an air bag folded and stored within the housing; and  
       an electronic activator for triggering deployment of said air bag, said electronic activator being in electronic communication with said air bag; and  
       sensing means for sensing disconnection of said electronic communication between said air bag and said electronic activator, said sensing means being in electronic communication with said electronic activator;  
       wherein said electronic activator is operable to initiate deployment of said air bag when interruption of electronic communication between said air bag and said electronic activator is sensed by said sensing means.  
     
     
       16. The theft deterrent system of  claim 15 , further comprising an identification tag attached to said air bag. 
     
     
       17. The theft deterrent system of  claim 16 , wherein said identification tag is also in electronic communication with said sensing means.